Simulated racing game



May 2, 1933. H, c. LAMB SIMULATED RACING GAME Filed July 6, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet l BY 2%@ C.

May 2, 1933. H. c. LAMB SIMULATED RACING GAME Filed July e, 1951 5 sheets-shee'i 2 N NN ww w m. m mmm um W INVENTOR. HM? 0. LM- @1 May 2, 1933.

LQZM@ Hl c. LAMB SIMULATED RACING GAME 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 6, 1951 INVENTOR HM C. @fm BY QM M47. ATTORNEYQ.

May 2, 1933. H, c. LAMB SIMULATED RACING GAME Filed July 6, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTQR. Htl/W1 C.

ATTORNEYS) May 2, 1933. H. c. LAMB SIMULATED RACING GAME Filed July 6, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 /PZM/My @25;

rammed May 2, less 1,2%?,242

'NTE LSTATES @FQ HAR-RY C. LAMB, OF HGUSTGN, TEXAS SEI'JIULATED RACNG GAME Application led July 6, 1933. Serial 54%,823

rl`his invention relates to a simulated rac- Figure V8 shows a fragmentary plan view ing game, thereof. Y

An object of the invention is to provide a Figure 9 shows a fragmentary cross secdevice of the character described having a tional view taken on the line 9 9. of Figure a sign displaying surface to receive advert-is- 1, and Y Y 55 ing matter, and the like, and having means Figure 10 shows an enlarged elevational associated therewith for attracting the at-A view of theneutrahzing bar, Showing the tention to such device and for exciting interdrive shafts associated therewith.

est therein to the end that the display will be Referring now more particularly to the ie Sgen and read by the pub1- drawings, wherein like numerals of reference Another object of the invention is to prodesignate similar parts in each of the figvide, in combination with a display device, ures, the numerals 1, 1, designate supporting an amusement apparatus which will accentulegs which support` the board 2 secured to ate the value of the display surface as an adthe rear side of which there is `the enclosing arg1-'Eising medium. Y housing 3. The board 2 has a display surface @5 Another object is to provide a device of the 4, for advertising, and the like and has an character described which has value as an oblong, substantially elliptical, opening 5 amusement apparatus independent of its Y therethrough spaced in front of which there value as a sign displaying device. is the guard 6 also having a display surface Luother object is to provide an apparatus F Between the board 2 and guard 6 there 70 t having a miniature rack track and racers, is an elliptical housing 8, suitably secured to preferably miniature horses, mounted to the frame work of the device, and having the travel about said track, with means for autoslots 9 through which the racer supports l0 matically moving the racers about the track, project. yThese supports are attached to the 5 means for aligning and starting the racers, cables 11 which run over the sheaves 12, 13 "5 means for automatically varying the speed and said supports carry the racers 10. The

of the racers during each race and means for sheaves 18 are loosely mounted .to rotate inautomatically stopping the racers preparadependently but the sheaves 12 are fixed, one

tory to beginning another race. on the transverse shaft 14 and the other on I lilith the above and other objects in view the respective telescopically arranged hollow 3J this invention has particular relation to ceishafts 15, 16, 17 which are telescoped over tain novel features of construction, operation said shaft 14. On the inner ends of the shafts and arrangement of parts an example 0f 14, 15, 16, 17, respectively, are fixed the gangs, which is given in this specification and illusor assemblies, of screw gears 18, 19,` 2O and D trated in the accompanying drawings, 21. The gears of each assembly havea vawherein t riable number ofrteeth,^that is, each gear of Figure 1 shows a front elevation of the an assembly has a number of teeth different device. from that of any other gear of such assembly.

Figure 2 shows an end view thereof. There are the drive shafts 22, four being n Figure 3 shows a fragmentary horizontal shown, one for each gear assembly. Mounted 9G sectional view takenon the line 3-3 of on a member 23,. of the framework, there ure 5.` "r is a bracket 24 and at one end the shafts 22 Figure 4 shows avvertical sectional viev are mounted in the yokes 25 which are pivtaken on the line 4 4 of Figure 5. I otally mounted, in said bracket, to pivot about C i5 Figure 5 shows a fragmentary side elevavertical axes. Fiiredon the last Vmentioned Ja tion, partly in section. ends ofthe shafts 22 are the spurv gears 26 Figure shows a fragmentary side view and between and in mesh with said gears 26 of a shifting mechanism employed. are the intermediatev gears 27.

Figure '.7 shows a fragmentary sectional There is a main drive shaft 28, having a ,-k 'l N view of said shifting mechanism. spur gear28 fixed thereon which is in mesh "LO with and driven from the spur gear 29v on the .shaft of a suitable motor 29. On the shaft 28 there is a sprocket wheel 30, aligned with a similar sprocket wheel 31 which is fixed on a shaft 32 on which one of the intermediate gears 27 is also fixed and a sprocket chain 33 operates over these sprocket wheels and drives the latter from the former and thereby the shafts 22 are driven.

On the other ends of the shafts 22 are the worm gears 34, 35, 36, 37 respectively, arranged to be brought out of mesh with the corresponding gear assemblies 18, 19, 20, 21, or shifted into mesh with either of the gears of the corresponding assembly as hereinafter stated. The ends of the shafts 22, adjacent the worm gears 34 to 37 inclusive, are mounted in slidable bearings 38 on the lift bar 38 which is supported by the links 39, 39 Whose lower 4ends are pivoted thereto. The upper ends of these links are pivoted to the outer ends of the arms 40, 40 carried by the trans- Y.

verse rocker shaft 41 which is mounted in device. The outer, or rear, end of this rocker 'shaft carries an upstanding arm 42 and a-djacent and beneath the shaft 41 there is 4an aligned stub shaft 43 whose outer end has a depending arm 44. The free ends of the arms 42, 44 are connected by a tension spring 45 and the shafts 41, 43 have the intermeshing spur gears 46, 47 fixed thereon.

The rocker shaft 41 has the upstanding arms 48, 48 between the upper ends of which one end of the link 49 is pivoted. The other end of this link 49 is pivoted to the upstanding crank arm 50 of the transverse Vshaft 51. The rear end of the shaft 51 has a depending crank arm 52 tothe lower end of which one end of the push rod 53 is pivoted and the other end of the rod 53 is pivoted to one end of the clutch shift lever 54 and said lever is pivoted to a suitable fixed anchor 55 carried by the framework of the device. The other end of the lever 54 is bifurcated, forming a yoke 54 which embraces and is pivoted to the clutch member 56 splined on the shaft 28. Loosely mounted on said shaft 28 there is another clutch member 57 arranged to be clutched with and declutched from the clutch member 56, and having a spur gear 58 thereon. The gear 58 is in mesh with, and adapted to drive, the spur gear 59 which is fixed on the shaft 60. This shaft 60 has a spur gear 61 thereon which is in mesh'with, and drives, the spur gear 62 fixed on the shaft 63, and the Gear 62 is also in mesh with, and drives, the spur gear 64 which is fixed on the shaft 65. These shafts above referredl to extend vlongitudinally of the device and are rotatably mounted in .suitable bearings 1in the frame work thereof. Y

There is a conveyor frame,` incorporated into the framework of the device and designated generally bythe numeral 66. The

shaft 63 has bearings in the conveyor frame and has the spaced sprockets 67, 67 fixed thereon. Rotatably mounted in the conveyor frame there are also the shafts 68, 69, 70, ar` ranged parallel with and suitably spaced from the shaft 63, and having the spaced sprockets 71, 71, 72, -72 and 73, 73, respectively, fixed thereon. 74,74, of the conveyor, operate over these respective sets of sprockets, and all are driven from the shaft 63. rlhe chains 74 carry the cross bar 75 having outwardly projecting conveyor lugs, or fingers 75 which move along the elevator runways, or chutes, 76, and carry the balls 77, delivered into said chutes in front of said fingers, up along said runways. These balls are carried up the said runways and fall from the delivery ends thereof, by gravity, onto the declining apron 78 beneath and are conducted thence, by said apron, into the collector 79.

On theshaft 65 are fixed the conveyor tubes 80, 81, 82, 83 whose outer ends are arranged to move around in a 4common path vand sweep along the bottom of the collector 79 and whose other ends follow different paths in alignment with the respective runways 76. rlhe balls 77 in the collector will be scooped, or picked, up one at a time in succession and delivered through the tubes order of sequence with respect to the times of the delivery of said balls into the collector and the revo-lutions of the conveyor tubes to the end that the balls will be delivered by chance into some of the runways 76 on one delivery Vand other of said runways on another delivery in no fixed or predetermined order of succession. Fixed on the shaft 63 there is also a beveled pinion 84 which is in mesh with, and drives, a similar pinion 85 fixed on the vertical shaft 86. 1

On the shaft 86 there is fixed a spur gear 87 which is between and in mesh with, and drives, the larger spur gears 88, and 89 which are fixed on the lower ends of the vert-ical shafts 90 and 91 respectively. On the upper i ends of the shafts 90, 91 are fixed the sprockets 92, 93, respectively, over which operate the respective sprocket chains 94, 95. These chains also operate over the sprockets 96,

97 which are fixed on the upper ends of the respective vertical shafts 98, 99. The shafts 90, 91 and 98, 99, and the sprockets thereon are so located that `the chains 94, 95 will revolve in the same plane and the gearing is Ysuch that they will travel Vat the same speed.

ing 8 and has the arms 102 extending up The sprocket chainsV through the slots 9. The support 10 carrying the advanced, or winning, racer will engage the corresponding arm 102 and throw the same over into the reverse of the position shown in Figure 5 partially rotating the shaft 51 and acting through the arm 52 and push rod 53 to actuate the clutch lever 54 with the result that the clutch member 56 will be shifted into engagement with the clutch member 57 thereby operatively connecting the shaft 28 with the shaft 60. At the same time, the'link 49 will be actuated to reverse the position of the arm 42 thus rocking the shaft 41 and acting through the links 39 to elevate the cross bar 38 thus carrying the worm gears on the shafts 22 out ofmesh with the corresponding gears on the shafts of the sheaves 12 thus stopping the rotation of said sheaves and stopping the racers. The spring will hold the bar 38 in said elevated position until the position of the arm 42 is again reversed as hereinafter stated. The shafts 22 are rotatable in bearings 103 which are slidable'in the arms 104 which are fixed to and upstand from the longitudinal shafts 105. Fixed on the shafts 105 are the lift levers 106, lone in the horizontal portion of each of the runways 76.

When the shaft 60 is started, as above explained, the elevator chains 74, 74 will begin to revolve as also the shafts and conveyor tubes fixed thereon. Also the chains 94, will be set in motion. r1`he racers 10 will have stopped outof alignment, that is when the advanced racer finished the race and as the chains 94, 95 revolve the free end 101 of the bar will be projected out across the housing 8 and behind the supports 10 and said free end will move said supports, and the racers thereon, into alignment preparatory to beginning another race and thebar 100 will then be withdrawn into the position shown in Figure 3.

As the shaft 65 revolves the balls 77 will be picked up successively by the outer scoo Vlike ends of the conveyor tubes and delivered into their corresponding chutes 107 and will fall into the corresponding runways 76 and will he carried up said runways by the elevators fingers 75 and as they pass under the lift levers 106, they will elevate the free ends of said levers and rock the corresponding shafts 105. These balls 77 are of different dimensions and consequently the rocking motion to the shafts as affected thereby will Vvary and this movement of said shafts 105 will be transmitted to the arms 104 to shift the positions of the shafts 22, and the worm gears 37, carried thereby, relative to the gears f of the corresponding assembliesV 18 to'21 inelusive.` The gears 26, 27 are in loose mesu There is a longitudinal shaft 122 suitably i mounted in the framework and fixed on one end thereof there is a left arm 123 which lies in a runway 76 in the path of the cross bar 75. `On the other end of the shaft 122 there is a fixed arm 124 to the free end of which one end of the rigid link 125 is pivoted and the i other end of this link is pivoted to one arm of a bell crank '126. The other arm of this bell crank is pivoted to one end of a transversely movable neutralizing bar 127 which is slidable in the bearing 128. The bar 127 has the depending catches 129 which engage against the respective shafts 22.

As the fingers 75 elevate theballs up the runways 76 the arm 123 will be lifted, rocking the shaft 122 and this will operate, through themechanism described, to shift the shafts 22 over to similar positions relative to the gear assemblies 18 to 21 and at the same time the arms 104 will be moved carrying the free ends of the levers 106 downwardly into position to be actuated by the oncoming balls 7 7 with the result above specified.

' There is a longitudinal shaft 108 rotatably mounted in suitable bearings in the framework and xed on this shaft there is a spur gear 109 which is in mesh with and driven by the spur gear 110, fixed on the shaft 63. Fixed on and rotatable with the shaft 108 there is a segment 111 having an arcuate slot 112 and loosely mounted on the shaft 108, adjacent said segment, there is a dog 113 which has a pin 114 which is extended through said slot and a coil pull spring 115 has one end attached to the extended end of said pin and whose other end is attached to the segment be neath.

There is a longitudinal stub shaft 116 rotatably mounted in suitable bearings in the framework one end of which carries the lateral projectionv 117 arranged in the path of the dog 113 and the other end of which has an extended arm 118 fixed thereon, the free end o-f which is pivoted to the lower end of the vertical shift rod 119. The upper end of the rod 119 has a pivotal connection with the free end of the lateral arm 120 which is fixed to the shaft 51. After the shafts 22 have been shifted as above explained, the ldog 113 will engage the projection 117 and as the shaft 108 continues to rotate, the segment 111 will move relative tothe dog 113 until the upper end of the slot 112 reaches 'the pin 114, placing the spring 115 under tension, and thereupon the projection 117 will be actuated to partially rotate the shaft 116, exerting a pull downwardly on the rod 119 causing a partial rotation of the shaft 51 thus acting through the link 49 to reverse the position of the arm 42 which in turn wil-l act through the links 39 to lower the bar 38 and to carry the worms 34, to 37, respectively, into mesh with the corresponding gears of the gear assemblies, and the sheaves 12 will thereupon again be started and the racers 10 will perform another race. At the same time,

the clutch arm 54 Will be actuated to discngage the clutch member 56 from the clutch inembe';l 5T and the elevator, the conducting tubes and the chains 94, 95 Will be stopped.

As the shafts 22 are loivered to carry their Worm gears into mesh with the gears underneath their extended outer ends will be carried into suitable bearings provided to receive them in the transverse bearing member 121 underneath.

The drawings and description disclose what is now considered to be a preferred form of the invention, by Way of illustration only, While the broad principle of tie invention will be defined by the appended claims.

that I claim is:

1. An amusement apparatus including endless movable carriers racers thereon means for driving tne carriers to move the racers in successive cycles about a course, means Vfor disconnecting the carri-ers from sait driving means at the end of each cycle, means for aligning sain. racers preparatory to the beginning of the next cycle,`andmeans for reengaging said driving means with said carriers. Y

2. An amusement apparatus including endless carriers, racers thereon, driving means, automatic means for operatively connecting said driving` means With the carriers for driving the carriers to move the racers in successive cy'cles about a course, means for automatically varying the speed of the carriers during each cycle of movement, means for automatically disconnecting said driving means from the carriers at the end ot each cycle to stop said carriers and the racers thereon.

3. An amusement apparatus including endless movable carriers, racers thereon, driving means, automatic means for operatively connecting said driving means With the carriers for driving the carriers to move the racers in successive cycles about a course, means for automatically disconnecting said driving means from the carriers at the end of each cycle to stop said carriers and the racers thereon, means `for automatically aligning said racers preparatory to beginning the next cycle, and means fo? automatically reconnecting said driving means with said aligned carriers to effect the completion of another cycle.

4. An apparatus of the character described includingendless carriers, racers thereon, a gear assembly having a driving connection with each carrier, driving means geared to each vassembly for moving said carriers in successive cycles and at different speeds, means for disconnecting said driving means from said assemblies at the end of each cycle, iicans for aligning said racers preparatory to the beginning of the nevt cycle and means for reconnecting said driving means with said corresponding assemblies to accomplish the next cycle.

5. Amusement apparatus, including a miniature race course, miniature racers movable around said course, endless carriers on Which the racers are mounted, means for driving the carriers at dierent speeds and means for automatically varying the relative speed othe 'racers during each race.

' 6. Amusement apparatus, including a miniature race course, miniature racers movable around said course, endless carriers on which tlie racers are Xed, means for driving the carriers at dilerent speeds, and means for automatically disconnecting the driving means from the carriers at the end of the course to terminate the race.

7. Amusement apparatus, including a miniature race course, miniature racers movable around said course, endless carriers on Which the racers are mounted, means for driving the Vcarriers at diHerent speeds, means for varying the speed of the carriers during the race, and means for automatically disconnecting the driving means from the carriers at the end of the course to terminate the race,

means for automatically aligning the racers at the end of each race preparatory to beginning the next race. Y

8. Amusement apparatus, including a miniature race course, miniature racers movable around said course, endless carriers on Which the racers are fixed, means for driving the carriers atditlerent speeds, and means for automatically disconnecting the driving means from the carriers at the end of the course to terminate the race, means for automatically aligning the racers at the end of each race preparatory to beginning the'next race, and means for automatically reconnecting the driving means With the carriers upon such alignment of said racers.

9. Amusement apparatus including a miniature race course, racers movable around said course, carriersion Which the racers are mounted, a driving means for each carrier including gearing arranged to intermesh and shifta-ble to produce variable gear ratios, means for automatically disconnecting said gearing at the end of the course to terminate the race, means to automatically align the racers at the end of each race preparatory to beginning the next race, means for automatically effecting a variabley relative shifting of the gearing of the respective driving means into mesh to produce another race.

10. Display apparatus including a miniature race course, dummies movable around said course, carriers on Which the dummies are mounted, a kdriving means for each carrier having operative connections shiftable to transmit movement to the corresponding ca-rrier at Variable speeds, means for automatically disconnecting said driving means from the carriers at the end of the course to terminate the race, means for automatically effectinga variable relative shifting of the conactuating said devices to effect such variable nections of the respective driving means to shifting of said transmissions.

produce another race.

In testimony whereof I have signed my 11. In a display device, apparatus includname to this specification.

= ing a miniature race course, dummy racers movable around said course, carriers on which the racers are iixed, driving means for each carrier, each driving means including a transmission mechanism shiftable to establish variable speed ratios between the driving means and its corresponding carrier whereby the racers are caused to move at variable rates of speed.

12. In a display device, apparatus including a miniature race course, dummy racers movable around said course, carriers on which the rac-ers are mounted, driving means for each carrier, each driving means including a transmission mechanism shiftable to establish variable speed ratios between the driving means and its corresponding carrier whereby the racers are caused to move at variable rates of speed, means for automatically stopping the racers at the end of the course and means for automatically shifting said transmissions preparatory to thebeginning of another race.

13. In a display device, apparatus including a miniature race course, dummy racers movable around said course, carriers on which the racers are mounted, driving means for each carrier, each driving means including a transmission mechanism shii'table to establish variable speed ratios between the driving means and its corresponding carrier whereby the racers are caused to move at variable rates of speed, means for automatically shifting said transmissions to neutral to stop the racers at the end of the course, means for automatically positioning the racers preparatory to beginning another race and means thereafter automatically variably shifting the transmissions to again establish driving connections between said driving means and the carriers.

14. In a display device, apparatus including a miniature race course, dummy racers movable around said course, carriers on which the racers are mounted, driving means for each carrier, each driving means including a transmission mechanism shiftable to establish variable speed ratios between the driving means and its corresponding carrier whereby the racers are caused to move at variable rates of speed, means for automatically shifting said transmissions to neutral to stop the racers at the end of the course, mechanism for thereafter automatically and variably shifting the transmissions to again establish driving connections between said driving means and the carriers, said mechanism including transmission shifting devices arranged to be moved into active, or shifting, position, means for moving said devices into said active position and means for thereafter HARRY C. LAMB. 

